Need help female found dead with 6 babies

MKaye · Tue May 31, 2022 5:08 pm

We have 5 ASY pairs this year and 4 had 6 eggs 1 with 5. Rain was relentless through a big part of May with 15 to 40 mile an hour winds at times. I fed them on the porch’s for 3 or 4 days and they eat crickets and meal worms. Today we found a female dead inside with 6 babies that are 5 or 6 days old. The male is feeding them but I’m sure he can’t keep up. One pair had 6 eggs and only one hatched. The 6 are probably a couple of days older. I read you could put some of the babies in other compartments ?
Another pair has only 4 that hatched. What should we do? I don’t want to do the wrong thing. Maybe he can take care of a few.
More rain coming with storms the next few days. If I do anything it needs to be done before the rain.
I hope some of you read this and can help us we are devastated.

MKaye · Tue May 31, 2022 7:04 pm

If I move some of the babies with other pairs will they except them? The pair that only has one baby, what will they think if they suddenly have say 3 or 4? Do I just let nature decide and leave them where they are with Dad? I would appreciate some advice so much. MKaye.

C.C.Martins · Tue May 31, 2022 8:23 pm

Its tough, so sorry to hear that. Iv moved chicks before, last year moved one smaller chick (of 6) to one nest that had 2 of roughly the same age. They were successful. BUT and a big but, they had good weather and plenty of food.

Also last year and year before that we had a female loose her mate, they had 4 chicks and successfully raised them all...I was very worried about them, I could hear them and didn't think they were getting enough food...turns out they were just fine.

Right now, Id wait, you have a strong male taking care of them. If you notice (during a nest check) them not doing well, perhaps (and Iv done this) supplement their food with meal worms and crickets?

Its a hard one, but right now Id not interfere, just monitor closely and plan your next steps.
All the best to your chicks,
Tom

MKaye · Tue May 31, 2022 8:38 pm

Tom, I will follow your advice. Been watching closely this evening and I know he’s not coming enough for 6.
Having trouble with 4 Sy bachelors fighting to get in with the ASY pairs. I wonder if they may have killed the female? They have been very aggressive.
Thank you

MKaye

Conrad Baker · Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:46 am

You could move one or two to a different nest, providing you put the new baby in a nest with similar sized babies. If it is bigger, it will hog all the food and the smaller ones will suffer. If it is smaller, then the other babies will hog the food from the little one. One additional baby in a nest shouldn't cause problems, so spread them out if you can. Reducing the nest by a baby or two will certainly make a difference to the male that now has all of the feeding responsibilities.

MKaye · Wed Jun 01, 2022 9:18 am

I’m almost certain SY males killed the female. I watched until after dark last night and when the male finally went in two SY male’s shot in behind him. They did not come back out until early this morning after a thunderstorm finally quit. Also, by 8:30 last evening there were at least seven male sy’s trying to get in different compartments with other ASY pairs. The fighting with sy’s has been relentless for the last week or more. I have large compartments and have 6 extra for the Sy’s. Maybe I have too many open for the SY‘s? I also didn’t know the sy males would kill a female and be this aggressive. Two males ganging up together to take over?

I will do a nest check this morning before the thunderstorms are back. I’m afraid of what I will find. May move a few babies if they are still alive.

C.C.Martins · Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:32 am

Good gosh!! I'm sure you nailed it, good observation I'm surprised they are allowed in, early in the season its common to see other martins sneaking in at night and allowed to stay but when chicks are present.....and its an ASY pair. Those subbies can really tear the place up.
We've lots of subbies hanging around, the chicks are louder now and subbies are showing some real intrest but so far the adults are guarding them well. Yesterday it seemed a subbie male has decided to claim some occupied gourds, he calls to an unmatched female and shows it off until the adults arrive and knock him off the porch.

If you do decide to move a few, you had good suggestion in trying to match ages and "sprinkle" fairly. I'm sure it will work out for you and your birds! They don't miss a beat with the extra mouth to feed.
Tom

Martintown33 · Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:58 pm

Very sorry to hear this mkay… it’s hard landlording at times. I feel for you.. I agree with above posts.. following that advice is your best option… I hope it works out!
Good luck!
Rob

MKaye · Wed Jun 01, 2022 7:06 pm

At noon all 6 babies were still alive and I moved 3 to 3 different nest.

glad that is over for now. Dad is still feeding the 3 left for him. I will keep a close eye. Thanks for all the help.

Martintown33 · Wed Jun 01, 2022 7:07 pm

Good job! Hope all works out!
Rob

C.C.Martins · Thu Jun 02, 2022 6:21 am

Well done!

Birdiegirl · Thu Jun 02, 2022 3:15 pm

MKaye,

Wow- excellent effort! Those babies have a fighting chance thanks to you. Way to help out the determined Dad and enlist adoptive parents. Nice landlording!

MKaye · Thu Jun 02, 2022 7:31 pm

Decided to check on the 3 babies left for single Dad this afternoon and was also concerned about a baby I put with a pair that out of 6 eggs only one hatched. I thought the new family carried away the baby and dropped it in the lake yesterday….. so I needed to check to ease my mind. ( Must have been a poop ball.) I can’t tell you how happy I was to find two fat babies that looked like twins.

The one I had put with them was looking very thin yesterday. I decided to take another from the single Dad nest and give Jason’s a third baby. Now they have triplets. They have been very busy feeding their new family. I’m hoping single Dad can handle 2 babies better. I’m so happy it’s all working out for now I had to share.

Thanks purple Martin family. MKaye

Martintown33 · Thu Jun 02, 2022 7:51 pm

Very happy for you. You probably saved those baby martins lives. Excellent work. Your single male shouldn’t have any problems handling the current load…
Congrats on your great work!
Rob

dsonyay · Fri Jun 03, 2022 7:29 pm

MKaye wrote: ↑
Thu Jun 02, 2022 7:31 pm
Decided to check on the 3 babies left for single Dad this afternoon and was also concerned about a baby I put with a pair that out of 6 eggs only one hatched. I thought the new family carried away the baby and dropped it in the lake yesterday….. so I needed to check to ease my mind. ( Must have been a poop ball.) I can’t tell you how happy I was to find two fat babies that looked like twins. The one I had put with them was looking very thin yesterday. I decided to take another from the single Dad nest and give Jason’s a third baby. Now they have triplets. They have been very busy feeding their new family. I’m hoping single Dad can handle 2 babies better. I’m so happy it’s all working out for now I had to share.

Thanks purple Martin family. MKaye

Beautiful.. glad to read this. Good job!!!